Tech Talks

This Tech Talk Series features the UConn School of Engineering on Industry Tech Engagement. Learn about ways to upskill your workforce and create a pipeline for future recruitment. Hosted by CT Tech Council - become a member at CT.org.

Bill Claffey, a tax attorney and partner at the accounting firm Fiondella, Milone and LaSaracina LLP (FML), will lead a panel discussion to present the federal and state tax benefits the research and development credit can bring to your business. Key topics will include: 1. Federal R&D Credit – learn what types of costs qualify for the R&D credit, how the IRS defines research and development, methods to calculating the R&D credit to best maximize return on investment (ROI), and opportunities for qualified small businesses to offset their company funded payroll taxes with the R&D credit. Understand the interplay between the R&D credit and other Covid related programs initiated in 2020 including the Paycheck Protection Program loan, the Employee Retention Credit, and the Family First Coronavirus Response Act family and medical leave credits. 2. Connecticut R&D Credit(s) – understand the expanded scope of costs that can apply for the Connecticut Research and Development Tax Credit(s) including the opportunity to include attorney fees for patent filings, rent, and other direct costs related to research and development that would not otherwise be eligible for the federal R&D credit; differences between the Connecticut definition of qualified research versus the federal definition of qualified research and how certain funded research may be eligible in Connecticut; review the basic Connecticut incremental and non-incremental R&D credit calculations and how timing of certain research expenses can drastically increase your ROI on the Connecticut credit; and finally recognize how the certain Connecticut taxpayers can turn their current and potentially prior year unused Connecticut R&D credit(s) into cash through the Connecticut R&D Exchange program including a review the metrics to determine when this exchange makes sense to the business.

Have you ever had to resolve a problem where your 3D CAD model did not match your engineering drawing? How much value would you find in having not only your engineering specifications located in one file, but your quality requirements as well? Problems like 3D CAD and drawing mismatch, as well as data package dis-connects, not only create scheduling setbacks, but can add significant cost-overrun to a development program. Join us for a discussion about an approach to an enterprise-wide solution that drives consolidation of all information needed to define, build and qualify a product into a small set of controlled and manageable information – ‘Model-Based Enterprise’

Join us for an informative discussion around the recent cyber attacks including the Colonial Pipeline. Charles IT's Founder & CEO Foster Charles and Finance & Operations Manager Sal Marino discuss common missteps businesses make that put themselves in the position to be vulnerable to an attack like the Colonial Pipeline. Foster and Sal will break down some cybersecurity frameworks that are beneficial to organizations that may have a head start on cybersecurity best practices, as well as those that are just starting out. Learn how to better prepare your business for a potential attack and reduce costly down time.

Learn how to navigate your journey from the on-premise data center to the cloud and find funding options available from hyperscalers.

Dr. Steve Shwartz will explain how AI works and why we do not need to worry about evil robots trying to exterminate us or turn us into pets. He will discuss how AI will impact society in many ways in the coming years, and will cover AI-enhanced weapons of war, threats to our privacy, how AI can increase discrimination, and the impact of AI on employment.

Learn how UConn Engineering and Tech Park focus on establishing new industry partnerships that take advantage of unique campus capabilitiies. Professor Pamir Alpay (UConn School of Engineering – SoE) will provide a glimpse into the inner workings of UConn’s hi-tech Tech Park, its remarkable capabilities, industrial partnerships, and federal programs with the US Navy and the Air Force. He will also share the educational mission of UConn’s SoE and describe its initiatives in manufacturing, sustainability, energy, and cybersecurity. UConn Engineering and Tech Park maintain a keen focus on establishing new industry partnerships that take advantage of unique capabilities on campus. Through the diverse expertise of 14 cross-disciplinary applied research centers and new academic/industry partnerships, UConn Tech Park provides the opportunity to develop innovative solutions to industrial problems while promoting economic growth in Connecticut. The state-of-the-art instrumentation at UConn Tech Park is valued at over $45M and includes some of the world’s most powerful electron microscopes, metal and plastic 3D printers, X-ray tomography and fluorescence, and other equipment for advanced manufacturing, robotics/automation, and reverse engineering.

Learn to meet new cybersecurity requirements to help make your business more competitive and eliminate crash implementation needs. The Federal government has enacted a new requirement that almost all businesses must meet to contract with the DoD. This new Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) qualification must be met by most providers of products/components and/or services for the DoD at ANY subcontracting tier.